First White Council

The first White Council was formed after Sauron's defeat in Eriador in Second Age 1701. The council did not include any of the Istari who had yet to come to Middle-earth. The main decision of the council was to abandon Eregion in favor of Imladris.

Second White Council

Before the formation of the second White Council, its members led by Gandalf invaded Dol Guldur who withdrew and the Ringwraiths remained hidden in Morgul Vale during the Watchful Peace. The Council was officially formed in T.A.2463, three years after the end of the Peace.

In T.A.2851 the White Council met to decide on whether to act on Gandalf's discovery of the identity of the Necromancer, but Saruman dissuaded the others. Secretly, he started investigating about the One Ring and search about the Gladden Fields.

Eventually Saruman relented and in T.A.2941 Sauron was driven out of Dol Guldur only to re-appear in Mordor.

The Council last met in T.A.2953, when Saruman insisted that the One Ring has been swept out to sea, quieting Gandalf's concerns that the One Ring was Bilbo's ring found in the Goblin-town.